Getting A Pony To Run

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In order to get the mag follower to raise the slide stop and lock the slide back when empty which fix would you recommend?

The mag in the middle of pic #1, which was one of two with the gun as received, and the same one on the left side in pic #2 has the mag lips opened up compared to the new mags, and the follower will do it's job but can also come out of the mag.
The other two are new Metal Form mags.

Would you heat and bend the front of the follower up a bit or peen the left side of the follower's lip a bit?
Just needs a bit of tweaking and not a new slide stop from Jack First.

***Please note: this thread is only about gun smithing. ***

Thx,
RT
 

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You always tweak the follower first.

Your magazine is a controlled feeding device, and because of changes in ammunition over the years. You have magazine makers making mags with different feed lips. Like the GI mags are the long gradual release, and mags with wadcutter feed lips are short so the round releases earlier.

Your magazines shouldn't push the followers out unless they are grossly out of spec or you have an extremely over powered magazine spring. You can get a die from Brownells for reforming the feed lips if needed.

Tweak the follower first, replace the mags second. 1911 mags are cheap and not all created equal. I have had less issues with Checkmate mags than any other.
 
The Colt is a Plus II hence the longer mags.

Pic in this post are the two OEM mags and the one on the right, also in the pics above, has the lips a bit wider so the follower can actuate the slide stop to lock the slide back because it goes up a bit higher.
The other OEM mag and the two new Metal Form mags will not actuate the slide stop.

To me it makes more sense to secure the follower in a vise and just tap/peen the left side of the front of the follower's tip rather than heat and bend the front of the follower up a bit.
**** That is the main question for now.****

The other pic is the slide stop notch as received and we peened it flat. I machined an insert to fit in the slide before peening it back to square
Even after a few times of the slide locking back that notch is raising up a bit again but nothing like in the pic.
The notch could be machined by removing a wee bit of metal but for now the follower work is the main concern.
Advice on that would be appreciated as well

Gun will not be used for carry but just for grip making, along with full size and Officer 1911s.
We made about 2K of 1911 slabs in our incubative years from '74-'83 and had discussions with Pachmayr about colorful rubber grip making. He called me the Picasso of pistols as we discussed some other projects.
This next run will be more authentic, include revolvers and put some people to work.

Thanks for your input,
RT
 

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Take the slide assembly completely off the frame.
Then replace the slide stop in the frame.
Place an empty magazine in the frame and see where the magazine follower tab is hitting/pushing/missing the slide stop extension.
It'll be very easy to see and figure what the issue is and where any adj needs to be w/o the slide itself in the way.
Then make adjustments to the tab on the front of the follower so it does make contact w the slidestop and pushes it up into position .

Some magazines that tab is so far out of distance from the slide stop lug that bending it upward or peening is kind of stretching it to say the least.
In the past I have added a small pad of steel and soft soldered it to the top of that lip to add height so it engages the slidestop w/o having to bend things up.
A piece of a junked hacksaw blade works nicely most times (never throw anything away). Anneal the metal and it works easily enough.
Soft solder is fine as there is no cross stress on the solder joint. Does a nice neat job and unless pointed out usually can't be noticed.

Leave the feed lips alone (if the magazine feeds OK)
Opening those up just so the follower comes up higher after the last rd is out of the magazine and operates the slide-stop/hold open is usually going to make a magazine that won't feed reliably in the first place.
 
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Thanks for your replies.

The thought of widening the feed lips on the new mags was never a consideration but great advice to others.
I know where the follower hits hits the slide stop and even tried a 5% extra mag spring that came with a spring kit from Wolffs.

Best solution, as stated above. is to solder a piece of metal to the follower's front.
I'm an electronics tech and have those skills but I was thinking of using silvered plumbing solder as opposed to electronics solder.
I have a variety of soldering irons/guns and propane and mapp torches as well.
Will rough up the areas and try that later today.

Pic shows the follower's lip height difference.

Other pic is of barrel's chamber and how that occurred is another mystery.

Thanks again,
RT

Some of my wife's uncles made lotsa money and bought some ponies that also didn't run too well.. but that was on the flats at the track. :D
Not a poor man's sport.
 

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I used some super glue and added a piece of 1/32" metal to the follower's tip. Filed it to shape and the height is just about okay, but the back of the add on needs to be filed at it's rear so it has an angle like the other two. It interferes with the slide stop as it is now. See area with Red line in picture.

Once I get it made right I'll mill a piece of metal about .003"-.005" more than 1/32" and solder it on and file as necessary.

There are some other issues that will be addressed but the one that is most concerning is the hammer/sear engagement as shown in the second picture.
I don't have another Plus II or 380 Government to compare it with and hope it doesn't double.

That's all for now and thanks again for your advice.
 

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Tweaking the little tab that operates the slide stop is the usual cure. You can occasionally get a follower where that tab isn't exactly right.

If you've got a mag that occasionally spits the follower out send it back with a letter detailing the issue and ask for one that's in spec.

My experience with Metal Form products suggests that there's likely an issue with the slide stop itself.
 
The slide stop and the two mags that came with the gun are OEM.
If you look at the pic in post #1 it appears that one of the OEM mag's lips were opened a bit to allow the follower to to raise enough to make the slide stop work properly.

By adding the 1/32" inch metal to the follower's front it will raise the slide stop enough to work but will push the slide stop out to the left a bit and jam the slide after the last round is ejected and occasionally it will not chamber or eject the last round.... which might have caused the wear to the top of the chamber.

Shaping the added metal with a down slope to the rear should solve the problem. Hopefully.
After I get the added metal to the proper shape I will machine a sloping piece and dress it up after soldering it in place.

The slide stop is the issue as the gun is pretty on the outside, except for the peened rear of the slide stop's notch, and as the Smith said... there's been a freight car load of ammo run thru this Colt and it has multiple issues from internal wear and tear.

****This is the condition of the gun as received but we'll get it to run and that is the only purpose of this tread.****

I've already made templates for grip making both in OEM size and full width to the frame's width.

I might get in touch with Jack First and send them a pic of the slide stop and order one depending on their input.

A detail strip and all springs replaced. Gun was cleaned and all burrs stoned carfefully.
Mag release had internal rust in the frame and that was made right as well.
 
One more question about the MetalForm mag's follower.
I might try to bend the front of the other new one's follower a bit.
How much would you heat it before trying to bent it up a bit?
I can heat sink the the rest of the follower.
Would it need to be quenched in water/oil after?

Raining today so it's indoor fun and baking bread. :D

Thx
RT
 
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The serial number places it as an '87 on Colts website.
Look at the barrel's chamber and let us know how that may have occurred as that would be useful information along with the hammer/sear engagement which that might have been a QC issue.
Thx
RT

I'll be working on it today while enjoying some Pecan Pie.

You can also view some photos of the gun as received, in the feedback section.
I have some Sig P238 seven round mags, with the pinky extension removed, that I will play with later.

Please note: the only responses in this thread are about gun smithing. The transaction is ancient history.

pic of barrel chamber and hammer/sear.
 

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I suspect the marks in the chamber to be grinder/dremel marks from either an attempt a chamber or feed ramp polishing. Could also be from work on the chamfer at the top. Yeah, I know it's not near the feed ramp, but if you've got a long abrasive tool and aren't paying attention to where the end of the tool is while working on the feed ramp.........

Yes, the sear/hammer engagement show signs of typical Colt quality in that approximate time period. I bought a couple of Colt slides direct from Colt and had to send one back as the rear internal part looked like it'd been chiseled instead of machined. The replacement slide was visibly not square at the muzzle. I ended up using that slide for a project of my own and squared the muzzle up.
 
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I was able to use one of my Sig P238 mags and the gun functions as it should, with dummy loads, and will take it to the range later this week.

Picture shows the Sig 7 rounder with the pinky extension removed and one with it on.
That was for a grip making project that allows the mag to fit flush with the bottom of the grip which has a thumb rest and palm swell... feels like you're holding a revolver.

As for the MetalForm mags, I removed the piece of metal I added to one the followers front and powdered up some plexiglass and glued it with super glue.
Easier to file and when I have time I'll fit it and get an idea of how much to bend the follower's front lip.
It's the second one from the right.
OEM MetalForm to it's right.

Not sure how much heat to apply.
Any suggestions are welcome.

Thx
RT
 

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We took the Colt to the range today and fired 2.0 and 2.2 grains of Bullseye under some Penn 100 grain PC TCBB lead bullets with CCI SP Mags.
With one of the OEM mags and the Sig mag the gun worked with these light loads but occasionally the slide failed to lock back
This same ammo ran fine in all our other 380 pistols.

We will continue to smith this Pony and follow up on the progress.
We will post pictures of the Colt as it was received and pictures after all the work is accomplished.

Thx
RT
 
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